Dimarco: "We're in good shape and give everything on the pitch" | OneFootball

Inter's first home match of the 2025/26 Champions League is fast approaching. The Nerazzurri will face Slavia Praha on matchday 2 of the League Phase, with kick-off scheduled for 21:00 CEST on Tuesday 30 September. On the eve of the clash, Federico Dimarco joined Cristian Chivu in speaking at the pre-match press conference at the BPER Training Centre in Appiano Gentile:

How confident are you ahead of this match? "We're coming into it well. We've won our last three matches, and tomorrow we'll be looking to make it four in a row. With the coach's help, I'm working to regain confidence and improve my fitness through training and matches."

What is Inter's goal in the Champions League this season? "After winning the Scudetto, we said 'that's in the past, let's focus on the present'. The same applies this year: we started with a great win against Ajax, and we want to keep it up."

You've scored and do a lot for the team, but what’s missing for you to feel 100% satisfied? "I've realised that I haven't performed at the same level as in my first three and a half years with Inter, but that can happen. I've always tried to improve, and now I'm getting back to my best with the help of the coach and my teammates."

You produced your best performance of the season against Cagliari and didn't appear mentally fragile. Has anything changed in the past few days? "We played a great game - playing in Cagliari is never easy. We need to build on the good things we did there, as well as in other matches, like against Juventus. We’re working well and need to keep it up."

Why is there a different mentality in the Champions League? "We always try to approach matches the same way, whether in the Champions League or Serie A. The Champions League is different: it's very tough because there are world-class teams. Nevertheless, when we've focused on one game at a time, we've always achieved great results. We're doing the same this year and need to keep it up."

Has the change of coach given you a lift? "I think you build match sharpness by playing: the more you play, the more your condition improves. When you're regularly taken off around the hour mark it’s hard to grow physically, but this year I’m improving a lot because I’m getting more minutes."

How is the team doing and where is this Inter side at right now? "The new lads are all settling in well. They're young and talented, and over the course of the year they'll give us a big hand. They're great guys, too, because they always support whoever's playing and the team as a whole. We're at a good level, but there's always room to improve and we have to keep improving."

From a tactical and technical point of view, what does the coach ask of you? "This year, we’re looking to play in a much more direct way, but we're not losing the foundations we've built over the past few years."

What’s the main danger in tomorrow's match? "We mustn't underestimate our opponents. Every Champions League match is difficult, and Slavia Praha are a strong side who have dominated their domestic league for years. They match you up all over the pitch, and we’ll need to be smart in playing out of their press so we can hurt them."